for picnics, cookouts, etc. could do worse than a bottle of Bonny Doon's Ca del Solo Big House Pink 2003. Almost an obnoxious shade of vivid pink in bottle, but in glass it's a darker salmon. Good peppery spice to the fruit, and while the color would suggest the sweetness of cool-aid, it's rather dry with good acidity and would serve picnic fare, sandwiches, grilled burgers (or Boca Burgers for me), etc. well. It's a blend of Rosati, Sangiovese, Mourvedre, Zin, Barbera, Carignane, Refosco, and Pinot Blanc. Runs about $9 and alc. is 13%.

Decisions, decisions, decisions! This one sounds great, and I know that the Terre Rouge Vin Gris d'Amador at around $100 per box, and the Illuminati Cerasuolo from Roberto at around the same price are slam dunk winners. And then Dan Berger comes along and recommends Kermit Lynch's Chateau de Trinquevedel Tavel at $15. Calls it "A pink wine to swoon over on hot days." Then again, we have a cellar full of Finger Lakes' whites! Sigh!

I've been looking for the Illuminati around here, but can't find it. I may order some from Roberto.

Had another rose last night -- a 2003 Ribera del Duero Rosado from Vina Vilano. I swear the color was fuscia in the glass. Tart fruit and tasted a bit flabby, especially when it was warming up over the course of drinking. Did not like it as much as the above.

BTW, don't know if anyone cares, but the Big House is in Stelvin screwcaps. I loved it. Twist and drink is fun.

2004 Ca' del Solo, Big House Pink, California Pink Wine ($9.99 local supermarket). Alcohol level still 13%. This year the blend is of: Carignane, Sangiovese, Carbono, Zinfandel, and Barbera. It gives raspberries and strawberries on the nose and upfront, more fruit and some spice on the plalate, and a nice finish. Matched it with baked canned(!) ham with pineapple and brownsugar/ground clove glaze, spinach, and roasted Yukon Gold fingerlings. All excellent including the wine that I had to fight for every last drop of.

Wife and I are major pink lovers. Our poison is that of South Rhone and Provence. We've noticed that there are a lot more choices for good drinking rose's this year, compared to last summer. Don't know if that's a trend that's here to stay. We hope so. Some of our choices are: Aqueria ('03 Tavel $19). The 04 is getting ready to ship so it looks like they're flooding the market with the 03 which is still very good for a "drink it right now" wine. Houchart ('03 Provence $8) is a little rough on the finish but we rate it mid 80s. Chat. l'Oasis ('03 Provence $7) has got to be one of the wine deals of the century (Don't tell too many people about this one). Dom. Fontanyl ('03 Provence $10) is on the lighter side. Very nice BBQ side order. Guigal CdR Rose' ('03 Rhone $14) is on our hit list and we see it everywhere. Happily, we're not stuck with paying 40 bucks a bottle for Ott as we have many viable choices. We have a pending import deal to receive 5 cases from Provence. This deal took months to orchestrate and I still haven't seen wine. All because we couldn't get rose's last year. BTW Everyone calls this juice "summer wine" but we keep our thermostat on 71F all year round so we can drink it all year. Aside from that, nothing goes with shellfish like this stuff. That's about all I know about "summer pinks" and I'm sticking to it. Bottoms up!

this is an older thread, but am just finding that I like roses. The Spanish one I've had have been sort of boring, light, and didn't stand up well to foods.
I had the Big House Pink at a tasting and liked it, however, no one here carries it.
But then we started getting this one---

Topic: TN: 2001 Goats du Roam Rose

Charles Back winery in the Paarl Valley of South Africa has been making these good little South African ''copies'' of traditional Rhone blends for some time, and I''ve liked them all but this 2001 rose is perhaps the best of the lot so far.

Blended from 30% pinotage, about 20% each grenache and gamay noir, and lesser amounts of cinsault, carignan, pinot noir, muscat de frontiganan and syrah, this splendid wine delivers aromatics of watermelon, strawberry and white pepper with same in the mouth plus cranberry, sweet butter and shiso leaf. The finish is bone dry. I purchased it for about $9 direct from the importer, Southern Hemisphere Wines in Huntington Beach, CA. Terrific wine, terrific value

We've picked a few roses to get the summer started. One of them is an '03 Goats du Roam. It was on closeout for dirt cheap, and I was dubious about how old it is (I like my roses as young as possible, but thought at the very least it could become pink sangria, or some such), but hearing that you like the '01, I'm interested to see how it has held up over the years.

I'm more excited about the new release of the Charles Melton rose, as well as one from one of my favorite Spanish producers -- Bodegas Muga. We also have several local roses for early summer sipping, and we picked out several from our trip to Oregon and Washington last summer.

Thank you for the welcome, only thing more fun than drinking wine is talking about it! Have been a wine lover for 40+ years and cannot believe what is out there now, so much fun.

I should have stated that although that review was old, it so fits what I have had. Looking in my rack I have been drinking 2004, but what I picked up last week was 2006, will post review.
Wish we had more Spanish ones. The Spanish I was disapointed in was,El Coto Rioja 2004.Had Ribera del Duero Crianza at a restaurant while travelinh and it had a bit more oomph, but not available here.
I definately recommend the Goats do Roam!! And Big House Pink, will be in Seattle in a few weeks and pick up some--Love them Bonny Doon people!!!
Enjoy!!!
Nan

Snoqualmie (Washington) makes a fun Cirque du Rose from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. I like Bruno Clair Marsannay Rose from Pinot Noir grapes and a Chinon rose from Cabernet Franc. I believe it was Kestrel (Washington) that had a nice rose from Sangiovese grapes (but Kestrel doesn't ship to North Carolina.) I have had some nice Tavel rose' wines and that region is famous for its rose's. I may try some Spanish ones this summer for a change of pace but also look forward to having some Rieslings and other whites. I plan to order three bottles of a Spanish white I tried at a tasting last night. More about that later.